Carpenter&#39;s tool.



G. W. HODGIN.

CARPENTER-S TOOL.

APPLICATION 11.31) 00:12.20, 1903.

924,660. Patented June 15', 1909.

Y WITNESS N5 5 Attorney:

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GEORGE W. HODGIN, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

GARPENTERS TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 20, 1908.

Patented June 15, 1909.

Serial No. 458,677.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. HonerN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCarpenters Tools; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in carpenters toolsand is adapted more particularly for finishing work where it is desiredto form a perfect joint or fit and my object is to provide means foradjusting the tool longitudinally, whereby the same may be used inconnection with timbers of various lengths and widths.

A further object is to provide means for extending parts of theinstrument at various angles, whereby score marks may be made on thetimbers indicating the line whereon to saw the timbers.

A further ob'ect is to provide means for guiding a pencil or otherscoring instrument, whereby the width to which a plank or the like is tobe reduced, may be indicated.

A still further object is to provide means for holding the instrument inproper alinement when the same is being used in connection with weatherboarding, and a still further object is to provide a suitable handle forthe instrument.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to andmoreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application,Figure 1 is a top plan view of the instrument ready for use. Fig. 2 isan edge elevation thereof, and, Fig. 3 is a plan view of an extensionadapted to cooperate with the remainder of the tool. Fig. 4 is a likeview showing the practical application of said extension plate asillustrative of one of its uses.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the mainplate of my improved tool, one end of which is provided with a dependingflange 2, which flange is extended at right angles to the longitudinalplane of the main plate, so that when said flange is engaged with theedge of a board, the main plate 1 will extend across the board at rightangles to the longitudinal plane of the board.

Adapted to extend over the main plate 1, is a secondary plate 3, whichis of the same width as the main plate 1 and is adapted to form anextension for the main plate, that end of the secondary plate farthestfrom the end of the main plate having the flange 2, also being providedwith a depending flange 4, which is extended downwardly from thesecondary plate and disposed at an angle of substantially 45 degrees tothe longitudinal plane of the plate 3, the end of the main plate 1adjacent the flange 4, having a corresponding inclination or angle asviewed through one of the slots of the plate 3.

The plates 1 and 3 are provided with longitudinally disposed aliningslots 5 and 6, respectively, through which extend bolts 7, said boltsalso extending through ears 8 employed for supporting a handle 9. Thebolts 7 are also employed for clamping the plates 1 and 3 in theiradjusted positions and in order to readily release said bolts to permitlongitudinal adjustment of the plates, said bolts are provided with wingnuts 10, by means of which said nuts may be readily turned on theirrespective bolts.

When weather boarding is being placed in position on the side of abuilding, the two plates 1 and 3 are so adjusted that the end flangesthereof will pass over the edges of the board without engaging the sameand by first temporarily placing the siding in position and extendingthe flanges above and be low the edges of the siding and then moving thetool laterally until the ends of the flanges engage the window frame orcorner boards of the building, a perfect fit between the end of theboard and easing may be had by scoring the board at the edge of theplates adjacent the frame and then sawing the board along the score lineand it can be readily ascertained when the siding is at the properelevation by resting the flange 2 on the upper edge of the siding, andengaging the flange 4 with the lower edge of the preceding strip orsiding.

Then a certain class of siding known as patent siding is used, I providean auxiliary late 1 1, which auxiliary plate is placed beow the mainplate and adjacent that end thereof having the flange 2, the free end ofthe auxiliary plate having curved portions 12 adapted to flt the groovesin the patent siding, while the opposite end of the auxiliary plate isprovided with a foot 13, which foot is extended at right angles to thelongitudinal plane of the auxiliary plate and rests on the inner face ofthe flange 2.

The auxiliary plate is held in position on the flange 2 by introducing abolt 14 through an opening in the flange 2 and into a threaded openingin the foot 13, the outer end of the bolt 14 having a milled head 15,whereby said bolt may be readily turned to clamp the auxiliary plate inposition or for removing the bolt to release the auxiliary plate whendesired.

The outer surfaces of the plates 1 and 2 are provided with the usualgraduations 16, whereby said plates may be used as a rule for measuringpurposes and said plates are also provided with openings 17 at suitablepoints, through which the point of a pencil or other sharp instrumentmay be introduced to make a score mark when the tool is movedlongitudinally of the plank, it being understood, of course, that theflange 2 is rested against the edge of the plank and the plates extendedacross the face of the plank, in which instance the score mark will bemade a uniform distance from the edge of the plank.

In order to adapt the tool for scoring purposes and at any desiredangle, I provide an extension plate 18, which extension plate isprovided with longitudinally extending slots 19, which slots are adaptedto register with auxiliary slots 20 in the plates 1 and 3, the extensionbeing secured in position on the plates 1 and 2 by means of bolts 21.The extension plate 18 is also provided at one end with an angularterminal 22, which terminal is likewise provided with a slot 23, adaptedto register with the slots in the plates 1 and 3, as indicated by Fig. 4or the extension plate 13 may be attached to the end flanges 2 or 4 byproviding suitable openings 24 in said flanges, with which register theslots in the extension plate.

By arranging the auxiliary slots 20 to various points in the plates 1and 3, it will be readily seen that the extension plate 18 can beadjusted at various angles, thereby obviating the necessity of employinga miter box for sawing the lumber at various angles as by extending theextension plate 18 at the proper angle and scoring along the edgethereof, the same result may be accomplished by sawing the board alongthe score mark, as when the board is placed in a miter box and it willfurther be seen that by providing the extension with a plurality ofopenings 25, and introducing a pencil point or other instrumenttherethrough, a plank may be scored longitudinally by moving theinstrument along the board as previously described.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very cheap and economicalform of device and one that will be light in weight and at the same timestrong and durable. It will further be seen that by providing the handleand attaching the same as shown, the tool may be readily handled andapplied to use. It will likewise be seen that by providing the extensionplate and arranging the same in the manner shown, said plate may bedisposed at various angles for scoring purposes.

What I claim is;

1. A tool of the class described, comprising a main and a secondaryplate, said plates having registering slots therein, a de ending flangeat one end of each of said plates, a handle for said tool superposedupon said plates and having laterally extended ears provided with holesand bolts extending through the slots in said plates adapted to securethe handle to the plates and lock said plates in their adjustedpositions.

2. A tool of the class described, comprisingv a number of plates, onesuperposed with relation to the other and having registering slotstherethrough, one of said plates having a flange at one end at rightangles thereto Y i and the opposite plate having a flange at one end ata right angle to the body portion of the plate and its planeintersecting the plate in a line at an angle of about forty-five degreesto one of the longitudinal edges of the plate, a handle applied to oneof said plates and having right angular extensions provided withelongated holes and bolts extending through the slots in said plates andthe holes in said handle extension, said bolts being provided with nutsadapted to secure the handle in position on the bolts and lock saidplates in adjusted position.

3. In a tool of the class described, the combination with a pair ofplates having registering slots therein and a plurality of aux.- iliaryslots; of an extension plate having one end thereof inclined at an angleof about forty-five degrees to its body portion, and havinglongitudinally disposed slots therein adapted to register with theauxiliaryv slots in the first mentioned plates and means to .removablysecure the extension plate to the first-mentioned plate.

4. In a tool of the class described, the coinbination with overlappingplates having a plurality of auxiliary slots therein and means to locksaid plates in adjusted position, of an extension plate having one endat an angle of 7 about forty-five degrees to its body portion and havingslots therein adapted to register with the auxiliary slots in thefirst-named plates and means to hold the extension plate in position onthe first-named lates, said extension plate having an angu ar terminal.

5. A tool of the character described, comprising overlapping graduatedplates having coincident slots therein, means for locking said lates inoperative position, a handle mem er super osed with relation to saidplates and he d thereon by said locking means, one end of one of saidlates being in- In testimony whereof I have signed my ehned and anextenslon plate avlng a correname to thls specification 1n the presenceof s ondlng lnehned extension at one end, sald tWo subscrlbingWitnesses.

5 ate and extension having slots therein, the GEORGE W. HODGIN. 5rst-referred to plates having additional Witnesses:

slots for registration with the slots in said eX- B. E. JONES,

tension plate. J No. E. HODGIN.

